Low blood pressure during pregnancy is natural! See tips on how to alleviate pregnancy crises

When it comes to pressure, obstetricians are unanimous: better low than high. Even because the hypotension tends to appear naturally as the pregnancy progresses. And it is far from being associated with the risks that hypertension poses to the health of the mother and baby, such as eclampsia, prematurity and low birth weight.

Even though there’s no reason to worry, let’s agree that it’s not pleasant to deal with the symptoms that accompany these falls. Malaise, sluggishness, cold sweat, paleness, blurred vision and tingling on the lips give the alert. In the most severe cases, fainting may also occur. “But these nuisances disappear quickly without any damage. You just need to be careful with fainting, as the fall can cause trauma, such as placental abruption, which threaten the pregnancy”, says obstetrician Alexandre Pupo Nogueira, from Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo. So if you’ve experienced this, talk to the doctor. Maybe he decides to prescribe a medication to slightly raise the pressure.

Global warming

Care is even more important in the heat, which works as an aggravating factor for pressure drops. It’s easy to understand: heat makes the body trigger an internal cooling mechanism. Blood vessels dilate to allow blood to reach a more superficial layer of the skin and lose excess heat to the environment. With dilated vessels, this passage is facilitated and the flow loses strength. Then the pressure drops. “For this reason, pregnant women should avoid stuffy places and crowds, which make the body heat up a lot”, warns Soubhi Kahhale, professor of obstetrics at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo.

Also the practice of physical activity can raise the body temperature. That is, on very hot days, you need to slow down. If you’ve had previous episodes of pressure drop, talk to the physical educator who accompanies you so that he adjusts the effort level of your training. Always try to exercise in well-ventilated environments and, if you practice any modality outdoors, avoid periods of intense sunlight.” Well dosed, exercise is beneficial, as it improves the condition of the cardiovascular system and helps to maintain pressure at adequate levels ”, says Nogueira.

Sal: good guy and bad guy

It’s true that ingesting something salty makes the pressure rise. This happens because sodium retains liquids and thus causes an increase in blood volume in the vessels. “But the ideal is to keep the levels of this mineral stable, which is also present in fruits and vegetables. A healthy snack every three hours is enough to prevent falls”, says nutrologist João César Castro, from the Federal University of São Paulo. Another recommendation is not to neglect liquids. In addition to always having a bottle of water on hand, take care of the juices and milk.

Some women tend to place a pinch of salt under their tongue at the first sign that the pressure is dropping. The trick works, but it’s not secure. “The effect of the salt is instantaneous and can cause a dangerous ascent”, warns Castro. In addition, the feeling of low pressure can be misleading. In hypertensive patients, when the pressure stabilizes (due to the medication or the pregnancy itself), a certain discomfort is common while the body adapts to the new condition. The best course of action is to call your doctor and report your symptoms.

At the time of suffocation

And what about when the pressure drops and you don’t have any food around or are you in a position to get one without running the risk of suffering a blackout on the way? Calm down at this point. Take a deep breath and resort to some tricks that help reverse the situation. Try, for example, sitting down and placing your head between your knees for a few minutes. If the size of the belly does not allow it, lying down and elevating the legs also helps to normalize the blood flow.

Avoiding sudden movements when changing from one position to another is another necessary measure in this phase. “If the woman sits or lies down for some time, the body adapts to distribute the blood in that position. When she gets up, this circulation dynamic changes, and the body needs time to readapt. It is a matter of seconds, but it may be enough for the vision to darken and the pregnant woman to suffer a fall”, warns Nogueira. So, no rush.

Compression stockings are also allies for those suffering from hypotension. “They put pressure on the legs and get the blood back, circulating properly,” explains Kahhale. It’s okay: it’s hard to face them in the heat, but remember that they also help to reduce swelling in the feet. Before buying yours, however, ask the doctor to indicate the correct degree of compression for your profile. With these precautions, you can overcome the low pressure season with a minimum of discomfort.

Fell why?

The drop in blood pressure during pregnancy is linked to the changes your body is going through. The main one is the formation of the placenta, responsible for the exchange of nutrients and oxygen between mother and baby. “It increases the perimeter of blood circulation and, at first, the maternal organism has not yet produced enough extra blood to meet this demand. The blood spreads over a larger area, decreasing the pressure exerted on the vessels. Hence the fall”, teaches obstetrician Alexandre Pupo Nogueira, from Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo. It’s like connecting a long hose to a faucet: the jet arrives thin and almost without force at the other end. “This picture stabilizes as the blood volume increases. By the end of the pregnancy, it will be 30% to 50% higher, and the pressure will return to normal”, adds the doctor.